From award-winning director Ben Affleck, AIR reveals the unbelievable game-changing partnership between a then rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division which revolutionized the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand. This moving story follows the career-defining gamble of an unconventional team with everything on the line, the uncompromising vision of a mother who knows the worth of her son’s immense talent, and the basketball phenom who would become the greatest of all time.
We were given an exclusive preview of the upcoming Warner Bros AIR. In cinemas from the 5th April. A film that pays homage to 80’s pop culture! Check out our very own Grace, and Shamoon’s reviews on this epic film!
“‘Air’ follows the tough-fought battle to sign and create the iconic Nike ‘Air Jordan’ collaboration. Picking up Nike’s rise to fame in the early 80’s, the film revolves around Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon), an NBA savant, with a ‘Moneyball’-esqe task of choosing from upcoming athletes to help endorse Nike as the new basketball shoe. It’s made clear that the other sneaker giants (Adidas and Converse) currently have a monopoly of the best players on the court, whilst the Nike firm risks financial collapse if they have another failed draft.
In a cinematic season currently coming towards the tail-end of biopic-mania, it’s peculiar to see a film dedicated to a ‘true story’ with (seemingly) relatively little stakes – especially in a world where Nike dominates the zeitgeist of sportswear.
However, this tale is a shameless love letter to 80’s pop-culture and its special variant of branded-capitalism: it’s still joyous to see the All-Time Greats give an awkward turn-to-camera-catchphrase and reminisce of a time with Mr T endorsed cereal. The dialogue is quick and witty, assisting in pacing, and is excellently delivered by a star-studded cast. The storyline, in parts, is sometimes to saccharin to be truly believable, but it’s hard not to celebrate for the underdog making its landmark deal.
If you’re a fan of sneakers, sporting legacy, Atari, or even Billy Joel (kudos to the soundtrack) ‘Air’ will have even the most stone-faced cinephile smiling.” [Review by Grace Sanders]
